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Massachusetts Water Resources Commission
February 8, 2018
Vandana Rao, EOEEA
Anne Carroll, DCR Office of Water Resources
Proposed Revisions to the Massachusetts
Water Conservation Standards
Presentation Overview
Purpose of the Water Conservation
Standards (WCS)
WCS Timeline
Revision Process
Summary of Comments
Summary of Revisions
Next Steps
Purpose of the Standards
Set statewide goals for water conservation & water-use
efficiency; provide guidance on effective conservation
measures.
Standards represent best practices; should be adopted by
water suppliers, water users, & state agencies in water
resources planning & management programs, and in issuing
water-use permits or approvals.
Recommendations indicate trends in water-use efficiency;
encouraged where practicable.
WCS Timeline
1992, Water Conservation
Standards
2006, major update
2012, minor update
2013 – 2015, work on major
updates
2015, Presentations to WRC
and March, April, & May
2016-17, Revisions in response
to comments; internal review
Revision Process
Workgroups convened 2013- 2014 with stakeholders and content experts
12 meetings
Focus on updates to Metering Water Audits and Leak
Detection Residential Outdoor Water Use Pricing Agriculture
Drafts presented to MA WRC March, April, May 2015
Workgroup Members
Wayne Castonguay, Ipswich River Watershed Association
Eileen Commane, Dedham Westwood Water District
Stephen Estes-Smargiassi, MWRA
Colleen Heath, CDM Smith
Christine Millhouse, Attleboro Water Dept
Matt Mostoller, Acton Water District
Leah Stanton, Weston and Sampson
Samantha Woods, North and South Rivers Watershed Association
Staff from DCR, DEP, DFG, DAR and EEA
Content Experts Chapter 4, Pricing
Alan Cathcart, Concord Water & Sewer
Eric Hooper, Sharon DPW
Nancy Hammett, Consultant
Dr. Rob Johnston, Clark University
Chris Woodcock, Woodcock Associates
Content Experts Chapter 9, Outdoor
Rich Bradley, Superscape Landscape
Dr. J. Scott Ebdon & Mary Owen, UMass
Overall Revision Goals
Reflect current best management practices in the water industry
Incorporate updates in technology and national efficiency standards
Improve readability and user experience
Address 2015 Comments
Review in light of 2016 drought
Comments Received
Comments received from these organizations and individuals:
Massachusetts Water Works Association, April 8, May 22 and
June 9, 2015
Paul Lauenstein (via email to WSCAC, April 22, 2015)
Ian Cooke (via email), June 8, 2015
Christopher Woodcock and Kenneth Mirvis, June 15, 2015
Other informal email communications
Summary of Comments
General
Stakeholder process appreciated
Request at least 45 days for public comment
Request cost-benefit analysis, monetary assistance to those
affected
Should include more quantitative measures
Water Loss Control (Chapter 2 )
New title to reflect more comprehensive approach to water loss control
Align chapter with latest industry guidance from: International Water Association (IWA) American Water Works Association
(AWWA) Environmental Protection Agency, (EPA) Water Research Foundation (WRF)
Introduction includes: IWA Water Balance EPA Water Loss Control Program steps Summary of real loss intervention
strategies
Water Loss Control (Chapter 2 )
Standards reworked to emphasize importance of:
Implementing comprehensive water loss control
program
performing AWWA M36 Water Audit
performing leak detection as part of a program
New recommendations added for:
water loss control programs
pressure management
service leakage
automated leak detection
Summary of Comments
Chapter 2 – Water Loss Control
Support for majority of proposed changes
Clarify CEMU definition
Eliminate 10% UAW standard
Include comprehensive audit as a recommendation
Metering (Chapter 3)
Updated to incorporate new AWWA
guidance & input from Working Group
Updates to Standards:
New standard for metering water sources
New standard requiring annual calibration of source, raw,
treatment, & finished master meters
Combined two standards to clarify calibration requirements
for other meters, including large customer meters
Minor edits to meter/repair replacement policy, meter
sizing, and billing frequency
Metering (Chapter 3)
Recommendations, updates:
New: bill monthly (or at a
minimum, bi-monthly)
Expanded remote reading
recommendation includes
advanced metering
(e.g., AMR & AMI)
Summary of Comments
Chapter 3 – Metering
Support for proposed changes
Change language throughout from “smart-metering” to
“advanced metering technology”
Pricing (Chapter 4)
Updated to emphasize balancing competing goals of water supply budgeting & rate setting.
Focus on sending strong water conservation price signals while achieving necessary cost recovery, stable revenue streams, & affordability.
Standards include minor updates for clarity.
Recommendations augmented to provide new guidance on: innovative conservation-oriented rate structures long-term planning & budgeting pricing tools to improve equity and affordability of customer costs &
utility revenue stability billing practices & positive messaging that support conservation
price signals robust public engagement practices
Lists tools to help suppliers meet standards & implement recommendations.
Summary of Comments
Chapter 4 - Pricing
“Use Price Signals to Reduce Inefficient and Nonessential Use”
YES as Standard- cites conservation rates as AWWA best practice
NO as Standard- Rate setting very individual, not a good permit compliance measure, difficult to evaluate/enforce
Clarify “budget-based rates”, “meaningful” spread for block rates
Concerns about fixed charges
Enterprise Fund should be a standard
Residential Water Use (Chap. 5, Appendixes D & E)
Highlights EPA’s Water Sense program (2006), esp. higher efficiency standards for water-using fixtures & appliances
Standard 2 rewritten & divided into two parts: New Standard 1: directed to the public; states
residential per capita standard simply & clearly for all water users.
Standard 2: directed to communities; states 65 rgpcd standard as a performance standard for communities & water suppliers.
Recommendations consolidated & reorganized by audience
Lawn & landscape recs moved to Chap. 9, Outdoor Water Use
Appendixes D & E: updated content to reflect more recent data & studies
Summary of Comments
Chapter 5 – Residential Water Use
Support for majority of proposed changes
State should lead on “facilitate leak repair”, not utilities
Use caution on reuse - protect public health
Strongly concur that WRC work on updating State Plumbing
Code to encourage greater efficiency
Outdoor Water Use (formerly Lawn & Landscape: Chap. 9 & Appendixes I, J, & K)
New title, broadened focus
Emphasis: Minimize need for watering by
following established water-smart principles
Water-Use Restriction Bylaw Standard Apply to private wells where
warranted
Clarifies applicability-Municipal Governments and Water Districts
Two new standards added:
#2, addressing efficiency of irrigation systems
#3, addressing actions during drought conditions
Outdoor Water Use
Recommendations consolidated & reorganized
New recommendations: #1, planning landscapes to
reduce watering needs
#2 – 5, other outdoor uses of water besides landscape watering
#7 and #10, municipal government actions
Added case study highlighting a success story
Summary of Comments
Chapter 9 – Outdoor Water Use
Support for majority of proposed changes
Agree that “fully enforcing” be removed from standard
Agricultural Water Use - Chapter 8
Standards: One new standard was added to address soil health management.
Recommendations, some new ones added; old recommendations reworked to advance and encourage: #1, maintaining industry-specific best management
practices #2, developing and implementing a conservation plan #3, use of micro-irrigation as a supplement #4, uniform application of water from sprinkler
systems #5, periodically evaluating irrigation system efficiency #6, maintaining adequate soil moisture #7, adding organic matter to soil #8, covering production soils throughout the year
Chapters 1, 6, 7 & 10
Chapter 1: minor updates to reference recent drought &
reflect current sources of planning guidance, including
state-developed guidance
Added information on new resources for innovative water
banking & water-neutral community growth
Chapter 6: no additional changes
Chapter 7: minor edits clarifying existing language
Chapter 10: minor updates & improvements for clarity;
eliminated recommendation to establish a State Water
Conservation Coordinator at EEA
Next Steps
45-day comment period
Continued discussion at
March WRC meeting
Accepting written
comments
Anticipated vote at April
WRC meeting
Thank You For Your Input!
Send Comment Letters to:
VANDANA RAO
Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs 100 Cambridge Street, Suite 900 Boston, MA 02114
Email: [email protected]
Questions?
Comments?
